A shepherd leads his herd of sheep across the lower slopes of the Mount Sabalan in Ardabil Province, northwestern Iran, on July 20, 2017.  The greenish land is a heaven for animal breeding. It is home to tens of villages, tribes, and interesting stopovers for avid visitors as well.  The weather is pleasantly cool in summer but can turn somewhat nasty by year’s end. While snow is possible from November, white winters are becoming shorter.